Kingston travel advisory issued

Travellers to Kingston, Jamaica, are being told to take precaution against mosquito bites by wearing long sleeve shirts and pants and using mosquito repellent at night, especially when outdoors to help protect themselves against the recent malaria outbreak there.

‘Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta advises United States residents visiting Kingston overnight to have anti-malarial drugs, the Public Health Department of the Cayman Islands in consultation with the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre and the Ministry of Health Jamaica has agreed that at this point in time we will not recommend for the use of anti-malarial drugs for travellers to Jamaica’ said Dr. Kiran Kumar, medical officer of health, via a press release. ‘However, if anyone chooses to have anti-malarial drugs they can consult with their physician or contact the Public Health Department at 244-2648 or 244-2621 to acquire a prescription.’

Jamaica Minister of Health Horace Dalley said Wednesday there were 31 confirmed cases including people who had been treated and sent home.

He said the number of cases is expected to peak and then taper off, as 90 per cent of the mosquito breeding sites have been destroyed, and there should be no more adult mosquitoes to bite people.

The main manifestation of malaria is fever with chills. malaria is not transmitted from person to person, but through the bite of an infected mosquito (anopheles species). A mosquito is considered infected if it bites and sucks the blood of a malaria patient.